Women told to report domestic violence

JAKARTA (JP): Women are being urged to report domestic violence to legal aid offices and crisis centers nearest to them in a bid to campaign for state protection against domestic violence.

Ratna Batara Munti, the coordinator of the Legal Aid Office of the Association of Indonesian Women for Justice (LBH-APIK) said Friday that women should "end their silence" by writing or recording their experience and sending the letters or tapes to various offices across the country.

The message sent to The Jakarta Post Monday was spread through posters containing addresses of offices in 17 provinces.

The reports, to be treated confidentially, are expected throughout the month until Nov. 25.

Ratna said that while tragedies of rape and other forms of violence were still in mind, the posters specifically addressed domestic violence which lacked public interest.

Domestic violence is not regarded as a crime, "because it hides behind the sacredness of marriage," she said Monday.

APIK said the letters and tapes, which could also be made by friends or relatives, would be treated confidentially and would be used as material in pressing for a draft bill against domestic violence drawn up by the association.

"The absence of protection for victims of domestic violence is proof that it is not acknowledged as a crime in our legal system," Ratna said.

APIK was set up in 1995 by Nursyahbani Katjasungkana and other women lawyers. Since then it has received reports of several cases of domestic violence. APIK also set up the Mitra Perempuan crisis center, among the first of such institutions in the country.

"Out of 80 cases of violence reported to us in 1996 and 1997, 52 were cases of domestic violence," Ratna told The Jakarta Post.

Although reporting such violence was risky and considered shameful to women, she said the above reports showed that women were willing report if a channel was available. For women who wanted further handling of their cases after sending in their letters and tapes, APIK and other offices were ready, Ratna said.

Ratna said from the cases received, financially independent women had comparatively less difficulty in making decisions to report their cases and file for divorce. But hardly any of the women filed against their spouses for the crime, she added.

"Of the 52 cases only one woman decided to file a lawsuit regarding the crime. Her husband is now on probation," Ratna said.

APIK said domestic violence included "sexual, physical, emotional and economic abuse." Ratna said the latter included women who wanted to seek an income but were not allowed to do so by their spouses. Economic abuse also included husbands who drove wives into prostitution, she added. (anr)